Israel Adesanya returns against Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Uncrowned has UFC Saudi Arabia live results, highlights and play-by-play for the Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov fight card on Saturday at Anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the main event, former two-time UFC champion title Adesanya faces off against rising contender Imavov in a five-round middleweight showdown.
Adesanya (24-4) fights in a non-title bout for the first time since 2019, snapping a string of 12 consecutive championship bouts that stretched across his two different reigns. “The Last Stylebender” is already one of the most decorated middleweights to ever compete, but after hitting the first losing streak of his MMA career, it’s now or never for the 35-year-old if he wants to make a third run at gold.
“Without the belt being on the line, there’s an element of freedom that I haven’t felt in a while,” Adesanya told Uncrowned ahead of UFC Saudi Arabia. “I’m anticipating what [that freedom] is going to feel like in the Octagon.”
Standing across from the former champ is Imavov (15-4, 1 NC), who steps into the biggest spotlight of his career with a chance to propel himself straight into title contention.
A 29-year-old native of Dagestan who relocated to France in his youth, Imavov carved out a path to Saturday’s contender bout with a perfect 2024 campaign that featured a trio of consecutive victories over Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier and Brendan Allen. In total, Imavov has won seven of his 10 UFC appearances and has long been considered a dark horse for the title at 185 pounds.
Knockout artists Michael Page and Shara Magomedov collide in the middleweight co-headliner.
UFC Saudi Arabia starts at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN+, with a main card that kicks off at 12 p.m. ET.
Follow along all Saturday as Uncrowned brings you live results and highlights below, as well as a live blog of the entire card culminating with Adesanya vs. Imavov.
Main Card (ESPN+, LIVE NOW)
Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira
Fares Ziam vs. Mike Davis
Preliminary Card (ESPN+)
Muhammad Naimov def. Kaan Ofli via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Shamil Gaziev def. Thomas Peterson via KO (punch) at 3:12 of Round 1 | Watch finish
Terrance McKinney def. Damir Hadzovic via TKO (strikes) at 2:01 of Round 1 | Watch finish
Muhammad Naimov def. Kaan Ofli via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
The win gets Naimov back in the win column after his Felipe Lima loss last year.
Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli – Round 3
Naimov wastes no time in round three, breaking out a spinning wheel kick that lands to the guard. Ofli ducks down to grab for a potential takedown. Naimov capitalizes, pushing him down and getting right into mount to land massive punches and elbows. Naimov takes the back as Ofli tries to escape. Naimov can’t find any chokes as Ofli defends, spinning until an opening to stand presents itself. Ofli starts to get desperate. He throws big punches against the cage, connecting to the body, but Naimov blocks the head well. In the end, he did what he needed to do.
10-9 Naimov (30-27 Naimov)
Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli – Round 2
Ofli rushes in, launching a right hand into Naimov’s face before giving up control against the cage. Ofli unloads a tight combination in close, and an uppercut clearly staggers Naimov. They clinch up with Ofli taking double unders. Ofli works his way to the back while seeking a takedown. Naimov breaks off and unleashes a punch combination. Ofli punches into a clinch again, but this time is taken down on a trip. Naimov works from side control. Ofli finds his way back to his feet, pinning Naimov to the cage. They jockey for position until the referee breaks them apart. A nice left straight lands for Naimov. Round ends.
10-9 Naimov (20-18 Naimov)
Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli – Round 1
Naimov starts the action, trying to sneak a right hand over the guard of Ofli. Ofli’s first shot makes stiff contact to the cup of Naimon. That will pause a fight every time, folks. Action resumes, and Ofli goes to the body with a pair of kicks. Naimov enters a tight clinch, landing a brutal pair of knees before they move toward the cage. Ofli lock up double underhooks. He starts to chip away with knees. Naimov reverses the position. They separate. Naimov is pawing with an illegal finger extension, but the ref doesn’t see it. Nice jabs from Naimov, followed by a brutal body kick and right hand to stagger Ofli. A takedown lands, and Naimov controls from behind as Ofli starts to wall-walk back up.
10-9 Naimov
Walk-off KO!
Shamil Gaziev def. Thomas Peterson via first-round knockout (punch) at 3:12
Well, although it was much shorter, that was much better than the first heavyweight fight. A nice highlight for Gaziev.
Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Peterson – Round 1
The men engage early, and Gaziev lands a short elbow in the clinch before eating a big overhand left. Peterson punches to the body. A nice right hook from Peterson finds its mark. Gaziev attacks with a heavy body kick. Peterson rushes in for a single-leg and gets it briefly. Some awkward straight right-hands land for Gaziev. WOW! Out of nowhere, one big right hand plants Peterson and that’s it!
Jamal Pogues is not happy
Reaction
It’s never boring with Terrance McKinney. What a bounce back win that was. Wow.
Terrance McKinney def. Damir Hadzovic via first-round TKO (punches) at 2:01
McKinney is all gas and no breaks. That was the 15th of his 16 career wins he ended in Round 1.
Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadzovic – Round 1
McKinney kicks low, then high, with two head kicks out the gate. A big knee and left hook fire at Hadzovic. McKinney keeps going for the head kick, but they start exchanging wild punches. Hadzovic finds an opening for the takedown but gives up his neck for a brief guillotine. Hadzovic winds up mounted and begins taking disgusting elbows. That sounded like wood getting split. McKinney starts punching away, and that will do it! Jason Herzog calls off the action. A first-round finish for McKinney.
Arguably Canada’s finest right now, Jasudavicius has become a potential title threat at flyweight.
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva – Round 3
Jasudavicius hits to the body with a right straight. Bueno Silva attacks in aggressively, just winging hooks in tight. Jasudavicius wears them well, keeping her distance with front kicks to the body. They trade elbows in close. Both land big left hooks. Jasudavicius walks backward, taking a body kick but delivering back. Then a big well-time takedown into half-guard for Jasudavicius. Bueno Silva sneakily attacked with a shoulder lock that looked uncomfortable but wasn’t a real submission threat. Jasudavicius transitions to mount, locking on an arm-triangle choke. She gives it up, and Bueno Silva gives up her back. Jasudavicius just keeps punching whether to the face or body of her opponent. This has been a much more dominant round. Overall, an impressive performance against a former title challenger.
10-9 Jasudavicius (30-27 Jasudavicius)
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva – Round 2
Bueno Silva is showing some nasty swelling above her left eye. She catches a kick early but can’t capitalize on anything with it. They trade punches. Another rip to the body leads Jasudavicius into a near-guillotine. A nice right-hand touches Jasudavicius’ chin. Bueno Silva ties up the clinch briefly to land a hard knee to the body. She rips with a hook to the body again. Jabs from Bueno Silva start connecting. Jasudavicius teases a takedown and turns it into a front kick. Bueno Silva presses in and lands a nice elbow. They clinch, and Jasudavicius lands a knee and elbow on the exit. Bueno Silva stabs with a front kick that almost gets countered to a takedown. Jasudavicius finds one right after anyway, landing them in half-guard. Bueno Silva started complaining to the referee about something. Jasudavicius lands punches while defending a leglock attempt. Jasudavicius just kind of stands to get out of it and pepper shots until the horn. Relatively close, but a strong ending for the Canadian.
10-9 Jasudavicius (20-18 Jasudavicius)
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva – Round 1
Bueno Silva takes the center as soon as the fight starts. They trade low kicks. Bueno Silva stabs with a kick to the body. Jasudavicius starts attacking up high, landing right hands. Jasudavicius teases a takedown but backs away after nearly getting caught in a Thai clinch. Bueno Silva attacks into a brief clinch. Some jabs start getting through from Jasudavicius as he fights off the back foot. A stinging right straight lands for Bueno Silva. Bueno Silva rips to the body, forcing a Jasudavicius takedown. Bueno Silva jumps on the neck for a guillotine! Jasudavicius might be in trouble. Nope. Some slow hand-fighting leads to the let-go, and Jasudavicius works from guard, seeking punches. Jasudavicius passes out and gets right into a crucifix. That was way too easy. 1:30 left to work, and elbows start coming. Bueno Silva nicely swivels the hips out and escapes. Jasudavicius maintains atop her, and they wind up in half guard with Bueno Silva on the bottom. Bueno Silva nearly headlock sweeps Jasudavicius into an armbar. Instead, she almost gets Jasudavicius in a leg lock, but the round’s time expires.
10-9 Jasudavicius
First finish of the night!
Bogdan Grad def. Lucas Alexander via second-round TKO (punches) at 4:22
A nice uptick in action from the featherweights, and a promotional debut win for Grad.
Bogan Grad vs. Lucas Alexander – Round 2
Grad starts the round with another takedown attempt but fails. Some massive leg kicks stagger Grad as he starts eating punches. Grad sneaks an elbow in during an exchange and takes another leg kick. Solid right hand from Grad over the top. Grad takes a front kick to the body but catches, lading a punch and getting Alexander to the ground. He takes control from the top, working from mount to the back and just scrambling on top of Alexander. Grad starts dropping bombs as they transition to half-guard. Grad moves to mount and a nasty elbow lands. Alexander starts taking an onslaught of elbows and punches, seemingly hopeless as a minute remains in the round. He’s covering up as the elbows rain down, and the referee steps in! Nice rally to get the TKO win for Grad.
Bogan Grad vs. Lucas Alexander – Round 1
Grad presses the action immediately, taking a trio of leg kicks before shooting in on a takedown. The shot fails, but he clinches up to get reversed against the cage. They move away from the cage and break. A big flying knee from Alexander nearly lands. A nice overhand right and inside left catch Alexander. Grad gets ahold of Alexander with a body lock from behind. There was a pretty blatant fence grab from Alexander as they moved from the cage. Grad pulled the leg for a single, circling around Alexander before falling and giving up position. Alexander starts to work from the top position until Grad bursts up to hit a brief takedown, falling back to his back. Alexander now does the fun, little kick the legs to a downed opponent thing. Grad stands, bursting into another takedown attempt against the cage. Alexander is on the defensive, thumping at the side of Grad’s head. The round ends with Grad in pursuit of the leg.
